Amusement apparatus



April 25, 1950 J. w. BARKER ET AL 2,5@5659 AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed June 27, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J ames 0')" er 6. Ear/1191' AT TORNE Y3.

April 25, 1950 J. w. BARKER ET AL AMUSEMENT APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1946 iadditional section of the apparatus;

Patented Apr. 25, 1959 TED STATES OFFICE JAMUSEMENT APPARATUS James W Barker and Stephen C. Barker, TMiddle'town, .R. .1.

"Application June 27, 1946, SerialNof679823 (Cl; lo l- 69) 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to anamusement apisparatus, more particularly a coasting apparatus wherein a runway-is-provided and a carriage "will roll down'the'runway by reason of i the inclination thereof.

Slides have been'provided in a portable size but usually coasting devices are built more or less permanently and cannot be readily transported. "Also an apparatus 'whichhas tracks and some carriage to move over these tracks provides some.

hazards to the fingersof'the' child who may be using the same.

One of the objectsfofthis invention is to provide an amusement apparatus which may be so formed. that it may be transported from one place to another.

More specifically anob'ject of this invention is i to provide an amusement apparatus in unit sections,each of whichsections may be readily transported from one place to another until these sections are assembled into an apparatus which will be of a size to be of great amusement to the younger person.

Another object of this invention is to provide a *carriagefor this amusement device which is so arranged that there is little dangerof-the'occupant receiving injury to the fingers.

More specifically anobiect o'f this invention is to provide a guard for the wheels of the *carriage which will be guided over the tracks of V 1 the apparatus so that the person occupying the carriage cannot accidentally position his-fingers beneath the wheel.

Another object of thisdnvention is to provide 'a track from lengths of tubing, enabling the;

tubing to be readily joined in the sectionswhich 'are provided and maintain itself in alignment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a track which will be arranged to provide in ad- "dition to an initial inclination for the commencing of movement of the carriage a rise in' the track which will change the coasting movement to such an extent astoprovide additional amuse- "'ment to the user.

With these andother objects in view, the inven tion consists of certain novel'featuries of constructio'n, as will be'more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is aperspective view illustrating one section of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a perspective 'viewillustrating another "section of the apparatus;

-Fig. 3 is a perspective view 'illustratingza still Fig. eyis an elevation showingnthe three'seetions of Figs. 1,2and.3 assembled;

construction-with: suitable braces, thisbase being 2 formed in 1 a plurality of sections. of theksections there is "supported a. track which .trackixwillibeuspaced different distances from the base J sozasi to": provide the proper inclination of :track which is desired. Suitable braces are Upon .teach formed-between thelbase and the track and a platl form-for other structure. which is. to" be a part of ithe iapparatus isCall" built upon the base so as to :provide a construction which will be easy of transportation when theunitsections are sep arated. ':By --I)10Viding'. the apparatus in diiierent 1 :units, "any "desired. ulength may "be formed by utilizing additional units. The carriage whichis i to rollvalong theltrack is provided with abody i'withsupporting'wheelsso shaped as to be guided .by the track and guards are. provided for each :iof .the wheels so that'the fingers cannot be uiplaced 'beneath thei wheels 'that they may be jammed between thewheels andthe track.

With: reference to: the' drawings, [5 designates one unit section which as shown in Fig. leis thesection'at-awhich the ride on the carriage is commenced. Anotherisection which is designated 1 l6 "and; shown in Fig; 2 is an intermediate sectioni which'is placed in end: to end relation to ="the section 15*whilecan end-section designated *generally I! is showninperspective in Fig. 3 and is-{placed iniend to end-relation with the section shown in Fig. 2 or as provided inaassembled r relation 'in Fig 4.

The "base. of each section comprises longitudi- -enally extending angle: iron members i8 and- 19 was shown in Fig. 1, and 20 and'ZI as shown inFig.

2, and 23 and24 as shown in Fig. 3. These longitudinally extending 1 angle iron members are bracedlby cross bars; there being anganglecross bar 25. ,atone"end in Fig. 1: and a hat cross bar bar 21 and an angle cross bar 28 are provided at the ends of the members and 2! shown in Fig. 2 while angle iron cross bars 29 and are provided at the opposite ends of the members 23 and 24 as shown in Fig. 3. The braces 25, 26, 21 and 30 each extend outwardly on either side of the longitudinal angle irons while strips 23' and 29' are positioned beneath the angle irons 28 and 29 and all are provided with openings 3i through which some sort of spikes may be driven to anchor the base upon the supporting surface such as the ground or the like upon which it may rest.

The platform section shown in Fig. 1 is provided with track sections 32 and 33 which are formed of tubing bent into the shape illustrated. These track sections are supported above the base in an inclined manner by uprights 34, 35, 3B and 31 so as to provide the track on an incline that a carriage on wheels may roll therealong by gravity. In order to better support the upright portions on which the track is mounted, diagonal cross braces 38 and 39 may extend between the uprights while other diagonals 4'8 and 3! may extend between the uprights 31. This platform section also carries a horizontal portion of track 42 and 43 supported from the uprights 3? and also from uprights 44 which extend upwardly beyond the track so as to provide handles 45 a substantial distance above the track and serves as a means to grasp for one to more easily stand in a position to board the carriage before boarding the carriage which is designated as shown in Fig. 4 at 48. Cross bars or rungs 46 extend between the uprights so as to provide a ladder on which to climb onto a deck section il which is supported by the track sections 42 and 53.

The unit section It as shown in Fig. 2 has supported above its base the track sections 50 and .5! by means of uprights '52, 53, 54, 55, so as to provide the track in an up and down incline by reason of the support 53 being of a height greater :than the supports 52 and 54.

These supports 52 are further braced by diagonals 56 and 51 extending between them while the supports 54 are braced by other diagonals 58 and 59 extending between them. Inasmuch as the track sections 50 and 5| are very close to the base at one of their ends, a cross member 60 extends between the members 20 and 21 to support this end of the track.

The unit sections l! as shown in Fig. 3 has track sections 6! and 62 mounted thereon, these sections being supported on a cross member 63 at one end of the section and being elevated by upright portions 64 and 65 at the other end of the section. Braces 66 and 51 serve to support the upright 65 while the track itself is further braced by cross ties 58, 69 and 10.

The various parts of the structural work for the formation of each of these sections are attached by means of welding so as to provide a very firm relationship. It will be noted that the upright supports such as 36, 52 and 54 are inclined where they are joined to inclined portions of the track so as to give better support to the same.

In order that the tubular track sections may be connected together as the units are positioned in longitudinal end to end position pins H (see Fig. 8) are positioned in the ends of the tubular track sections 32 and 33 so as to fit into the ends 12 of the section of track 56 and 5| while similar pins 13 are provided in the ends of this section It to fit into the openings 14 in the tubular track section shown at I! in Fig. 3.

When these sections are positioned end to end in order that they may be fastened in place, the uprights 34 of section 15 and the uprights 55 of section It are each provided with openings such as 15, 16 so as to receive bolts 11 therethrough to hold these sections in end to end relation while in order to hold the sections 16 and I! in end to end relation the angle braces 28 and 29 are provided With registering openings 18 to receive bolts l9 therethrough as shown in Fig. 6 to hold these sections in end to end relation.

The carriage '79 which is to roll upon this apparatus consists of a body designated generally (Fig. 9) with side walls 8! and is provided with a bracket 82 for supporting an axle 83 upon which axle wheels 84 grooved as shown at 85 are provided so as to receive the tubular track 42, 43 and be guided thereby. These wheels extend into the body 8!] by means of the recesses 88 as shown. A guard 8! is mounted on the axle 83 of each wheel and consists of a plate extending below the wheel and track upon which the wheel is mounted as shown in Fig. 10 and also to a substantial extent forward and back of the Wheel so that the childs fingers cannot get into the space where they would be jammed between the wheel at and the track.

In order that this carriage 48 will not accidentally roll ofi of the horizontal track portion 42 and 43, stops 9%) are provided on this track so as to require some exertion by the user to roll the carriage over the raised portion 90 in starting the same down the incline.

In use it will be apparent that the person using the device will climb aboard the carriage 4B and then by pushing on the handles 45 will start the same down the incline whereupon there will be suflicient momentum gained to roll the carriage and occupant over the hump or rise in the track in the section It and then the carriage will roll along the horizontal portion of section I] and start up the incline at the end of the run which will retard the carriage and start it back again to a point where it will go partly up the rise in section it and thence back and forth until it finally comes to rest.

We claim:

1. A runway for an amusement apparatus comprising a raised platform including a frame with spaced tracks thereon arranged substantially horizontal and a deck at one end of said tracks superimposed thereon and extending between the tracks, said tracks merging into spaced tracks which are downwardly inclined, a ladder having spaced uprights each in generally the plane of one of the tracks and connected to said tracks at their ends, said uprights merging into handles extending up from the platform on either side of the platform and then reversely bent into U shape and flaring outwardly and returning to be connected to the platform at the outside of the tracks a distance sufficient to permit a carriage on the track passing the handles at their forward end, said deck engaging said handles to be braced thereby and serve as a stop for said carriage on the platform.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising a runway with spaced tracks thereon, a raised platform at one end of said runway comprising said spaced tracks with a deck attached thereto in a substantially horizontal plane, said tracks merging into tracks which are downwardly inclined, a ladder having spaced uprights each in generally the plane of one of the tracks and connected to the tracks at one end of said raised platform, said uprights merging into handles extending up from the platform on either side thereof and reversely bent into U shape and flaring outwardly and returning to be connected to the platform at the outside of the tracks a distance sufiicient to permit a carriage on the track to pass the handles at their forward end, said deck extending across said tracks and engaging said handles to be braced thereby and serving as a stop for a vehicle on said tracks, said runway at the other end thereof being upwardly inc1ined to retard rolling movement, and intermediate each end thereof having a rise and fall section.

JAMES W. BARKER.

STEPHEN C. BARKER.

REFERENCES CITED Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Dean Jan. 27, 1903 Wolf Dec. '7, 1909 Sherer June 30, 1914 Sellner Mar. 6, 1923 Osborn Oct. 30, 1923 Chase July 7, 1925 Zabe1 Jan. 5, 1926 Deady Mar. 29, 1927 Held May 10, 1927 Thornton Aug. 14, 1928 Sellner Feb, 12, 1929 Keck May 25, 1930 Wallin Apr. 5, 1932 Murphy May 11, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Number Great Britain May 14, 1903 

